1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet processor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a reduced in size sheet processor which performs a sheet processing operation, such as a batching operation, an aligning operation or a binding operation (stapling or punching) on sheets that are transported, and which includes a stack section for loading thereon a batch of sheets after the sheet processing operation; and also to an image forming apparatus including the sheet processor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, a sheet processor which performs a sheet processing operation (such as an aligning operation or a binding operation on sheets which have been subjected to an image forming operation and transported) and which includes a stack section for loading thereon a stack of processed sheets is disposed adjacent the body of an image forming apparatus. It is well known for the image forming apparatus to use a sorter having a plurality of bins for sorting sheets disposed so as to protrude by a large amount from the body of the image forming apparatus.
However, when the sheet processor is disposed beside the body of the image forming apparatus, the area required to dispose the entire image forming apparatus becomes large. In addition, a support means, such as a caster, for separately supporting the sheet processor, itself, needs to be provided.
When the sorter having a plurality of bins is provided as the sheet processor at the top portion of the body of the image forming apparatus, the height of the entire image forming apparatus becomes large, and a batch of sheets cannot be easily taken out after sheet processing.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sheet processor which allows an area required to set an image forming apparatus to be reduced, and an image forming apparatus including the same.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there may be provided a sheet processor comprising:
a processing tray for loading thereon sheets transported from a body of an image forming apparatus;
batch transporting means for transporting the sheets loaded on the processing tray from the processing tray in a batch; and
a stack tray for stacking thereon the sheets transported by the batch transporting means;
wherein the sheet processor is mounted within a sheet discharge section formed in a space in an interior section of the image forming apparatus.
The space in the body may be provided in a top portion of the body of the image forming apparatus.
The sheet processor may be removably mounted.
The sheet processor may be mounted to a sheet-discharge tray, with the sheet-discharge tray being integrally formed at the sheet-discharge section.
The entire sheet processor may be accommodated in the sheet discharge section, and may include a stapler or a puncher.
The sheet processor may be such that the edge aligning means aligns the edges of the sheets at a plurality of edge alignment locations, and the batch transporting means comprises the edge aligning means, and a batch transporting belt for transporting the sheets to the stack section in a batch as a result of pushing the batch of sheets aligned on the processing tray by the edge aligning means.
The stack tray may be drawable forwardly of the image forming apparatus, and there may be a guide for guiding the stack tray in a direction in which the stack tray is drawn out.
The stack section may comprise a stack tray for loading thereon the sheets transported by the batch transporting means in a batch, and a stack frame member for supporting the stack tray, in which the stack tray is provided so as to be openable and closable at the stack member.
Sheet guide means for guiding the sheets which are to be transported to the processing tray may be disposed above the processing tray and the stack section.
The sheet processor may further comprise widthwise direction aligning means for aligning the sheets loaded in a batch on the processing tray in a widthwise direction thereof; and driving means for driving the widthwise direction aligning means, the driving means being used to offset the batch of sheets transported by the batch transporting means.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising: a sheet processor; and a body; wherein the image forming apparatus includes image forming means for forming images on record sheets which are transported, based on image information; and transporting means for transporting to the sheet processor the sheets on which the images have been formed by the image forming means.
The image forming apparatus may further comprise a reading device, disposed above the sheet processor, for reading the image information as a result of scanning an original, and a sheet guide means may be disposed at a lower surface of the reading device.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is be provided an image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming images on record sheets which are transported, based on image information; transporting means for transporting the sheets on which the images have been formed by the image forming means; a tray for loading the transported sheets thereon; a reading device, disposed above the tray, for reading the image information as a result of scanning an original; and a sheet processor including: a processing tray for loading thereon the sheets transported from a body of the image forming apparatus; batch transporting means for transporting the sheets loaded on the processing tray from the processing tray in a batch; and a stack tray for stacking thereon the sheets transported by the batch transporting means; wherein the sheet processor is disposed in a space between the tray and the reading device of the image forming apparatus.
The image forming apparatus may be such that the edge aligning means aligns the edges of the sheets at a plurality of edge alignment locations; and the batch transporting means comprises the edge aligning means, and a batch transporting belt for transporting the sheets to the stack tray in a batch as a result of pushing the batch of sheets aligned on the processing tray by the edge aligning means.
The stack tray may be drawable forwardly of the image forming apparatus, and have a guide for guiding the stack section in a direction in which the stack tray is drawn out may be provided at the stack tray and the body of the image forming apparatus.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet processor comprising: a processing tray for loading thereon sheets which are transported; batch transporting means for transporting the sheets on the processing tray from the processing tray in a batch; and a stack tray for stacking thereon the sheets transported from the batch transporting means, wherein the sheet processor is disposed in a space between a sheet-discharge tray of the image forming apparatus and a scanner disposed above the sheet-discharge tray.
Edge aligning means for aligning edges of the sheets loaded on the processing tray, and processing means such as a stapler for processing the batch of sheets aligned on the processing tray may be further provided.
The sheet processor may be such that the edge aligning means aligns the edges of the sheets at a plurality of edge alignment locations, and the batch transporting means comprises the edge aligning means, and a batch transporting belt for transporting the sheets to the stack section in a batch as a result of pushing the batch of sheets aligned on the processing tray by the edge aligning means.
In accordance with still yet another embodiment, there is be provided an image forming apparatus comprising: image forming means for forming images on record sheets which are transported, based on image information; transporting means for transporting the sheets on which the images have been formed by the image forming means; a tray for loading the transported sheets thereon; and a reading device, disposed above the tray, for reading the image information as a result of scanning an original; wherein a sheet processor for binding and loading the sheets transported from a body of the image forming apparatus is removably disposed in a space between the reading device and the tray of the body of the image forming apparatus.
By virtue of the above-described constructions, the batch of sheets transported from the body of the apparatus is subjected to a sheet processing operation, such as an aligning operation or a binding operation, at the processing tray, and, then, transported to the stack tray by the batch transporting means. The sheet processor is disposed at the sheet-discharge section in the body of the apparatus, so that the area required to set the whole apparatus can be reduced.
The edge aligning means used to align the back edges of the sheets of the sheet batch on the processing tray can be set at a plurality of locations, so that a sheet batch location can be selected. Therefore, the sheet batch location may be a binding-operation location which allows a binding operation to be performed by the binding means, or a non-sort location in which the sheet batch is not offset and sorted. For example, when the sheet processor is to process small sheets, such as A4-size sheets, and is in a nonstaple/nonsort mode, a batch of small sheets is loaded and aligned at the nonsort location, making it possible to reduce the amount of time required to transport the batch. On the other hand, when the sheet processor is to process large sheets, such as A3-size sheets, and is in the nonstaple/nonsort mode, a batch of large sheets is loaded and aligned at the nonsort location, so that the front edges of the batch of large sheets will not protrude from the body of the apparatus.
The stack tray for stacking a batch of sheets thereon can be drawn out, so that the stacked batch of sheets becomes easier to take out.